Radiology Non-Interpretive Skills Sample Questions

The Radiology CORE Exam is computer-based, image heavy, and is two days long. Students MUST PASS EACH SECTION in order to receive a pass on the entire exam. This exam is administered three years after the beginning of Radiology training. Since these exams are so heavily weighted on Radiologists Careers, we offer a question bank designed to help you pass your CORE exam. The CORE takes a more integrated approach than the old board exams, with much more clinical practicality and implication, non-interpretive skills, applied (not textbook) physics, and so on.

The Radiology Certifying exam is usually taken the year following the Core Exam. There are five modules – three are selected by the test taker, but non-interpretive skills and diagnostic radiology are required.

We receive many questions about the non-interpretive skills section of the exam. It is new and non-diagnostic. Here is the syllabus for the exam. The test is broad and covers anything from safety to ethics.

Below are two sample non-interpretive practice questions:

Question 1

Which of the following is true regarding quality improvement?

A. It involves retrospective reviews only
B. It is a static process
C. It seeks to attribute blame through root cause analysis
D. It aims to create systems that prevent errors from happening
E. It is an older process than quality assurance

The correct answer is (D) it aims to create systems that prevent errors from happening. The other answer choices (A, B, C, and E) are true about quality assurance, NOT quality improvement. Although sometimes lumped together as quality assurance/ quality improvement (QA/QI), they are temporally and ideologically unique process.

Quality improvement (QI) is a more recent phenomenon in healthcare, but many are familiar with the term Quality Assurance (QA) as it was a common term for a number of years. QA can be considered reactive, generally retrospective, occasionally involving policing, and in many ways punitive or finger pointing. It often involves determining who was at fault after a medical error. The term QA is older and not often used today (E).

QI involves both prospective and retrospective reviews (A). It is aimed at improvement—measuring where you are and figuring out ways to make things better. It specifically attempts to avoid attributing blame (C) and to create systems that prevent errors from happening (D). It is a continuous process that must occur consistently in an ongoing fashion, unlike the QA entity, which is static (B). QI activities can be very helpful in improving how things work. Trying to locate the “defect” in the system and determining new ways to do things can be challenging and fun. It’s a great opportunity to “think outside the box.”

Question 2

All of the following are true regarding quality assurance except?

A. The term QA is a newer older that is often used today
B. It is generally considered reactive
C. It is retrospective
D. It occasionally involving policing, and, in many ways punitive or finger pointing.
E. It often involves determining who was at fault after a medical error.

The correct answer is (A) the term QA is a newer older that is often used today is thus an INCORRECT statement. The term QA is older and not often used today. The other answer choices (B, C, D, and E) are true about quality assurance. Although sometimes lumped together as quality assurance/ quality improvement (QA/QI), they are temporally and ideologically unique process.

Quality improvement (QI) is a more recent phenomenon in healthcare, but many are familiar with the term Quality Assurance (QA) as it was a common term for a number of years. QA can be considered reactive (B), generally retrospective (C), occasionally involving policing (D), and in many ways punitive or finger pointing. It often involves determining who was at fault after a medical error (E).

QI involves both prospective and retrospective reviews (A). It is aimed at improvement—measuring where you are and figuring out ways to make things better. It specifically attempts to avoid attributing blame (C) and to create systems that prevent errors from happening (D). It is a continuous process that must occur consistently in an ongoing fashion, unlike the QA entity, which is static (B). QI activities can be very helpful in improving how things work. Trying to locate the “defect” in the system and determining new ways to do things can be challenging and fun. It’s a great opportunity to “think outside the box.”

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